Noninvasive system and method for measuring hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia

Abstract

A wearable unit is provided including a plurality of sensors including a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of a patient, a pulse oximeter configured to sense an oxygen saturation of the patient, an accelerometer configured to sense a breathing pattern of the patient, a skin conductance sensor configured to sense a skin conductance of the patient, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor configured to sense an ECG pattern of the patient. The wearable unit may be configured to be worn on the patient's wrist or may be configured to be worn in the patient's ear. Information output by the sensors may be used to determine whether the patient is hyperglycemic or hypoglycemic and to provide an alert the patient or patient's caregiver. Information from the wearable unit may be wirelessly transmitted to an external device.

1 . A wearable unit comprising:
 a housing configured to be worn on a body of a patient; and   an electronics module comprising:   a power source,   plurality of sensors comprising a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the patient, a pulse oximeter configured to sense an oxygen saturation of the patient, an accelerometer configured to sense a breathing pattern of the patient, a skin conductance sensor configured to sense a skin conductance of the patient, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor configured to sense an ECG pattern of the patient, and   a microcontroller configured to receive an output from one or more of the plurality of sensors and to determine, whether the output indicates one of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.   
     
     
         2 . The wearable unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a wristband configured to attach the housing to a wrist of the patient.   
     
     
         3 . The wearable unit according to  claim 2 , the microcontroller further comprising a Bluetooth module, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to transmit information to an external device, the information comprising at least one of the output from the one or more of the plurality of sensors and a determination of whether the output indicates one of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an earpiece configured to hold the housing within an ear of the patient.   
     
     
         5 . The wearable unit according to  claim 4 , the microcontroller further comprising a Bluetooth module, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to transmit information to an external device, the information comprising at least one of the output from the one or more of the plurality of sensors and a determination of whether the output indicates one of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The wearable unit according to  claim 1 , the electronics module further comprising:
 an output unit,   wherein the microcontroller is further configured to output at least one of a visible alert and an audible alert to the patient based on whether the output indicates one of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.   
     
     
         17 . A sensing system comprising:
 an external device; and   a wearable unit comprising:
 a housing configured to be worn on a body of a patient; and 
 an electronics module comprising:
 a power source, 
 plurality of sensors comprising a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the patient, a pulse oximeter configured to sense an oxygen saturation of the patient, an accelerometer configured to sense a breathing pattern of the patient, a skin conductance sensor configured to sense a skin conductance of the patient, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor configured to sense an ECG pattern of the patient, 
 a transmission unit; and 
 a microcontroller configured to:
 receive an output from one or more of the plurality of sensors, and 
 control the transmission unit to output, to the external device, information comprising the output from the one or more of the plurality of sensors; 
 
 
   wherein the external device is configured to receive the information from the wearable device and to determine whether the output indicates one of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.   
     
     
         18 . The sensing system according to  claim 17 , the wearable unit further comprising a wristband configured to attach the housing to a wrist of the patient. 
     
     
         19 . The sensing system according to  claim 17 , wherein the transmission unit comprises a Bluetooth module. 
     
     
         20 . The sensing system according to  claim 17 , the wearable unit further comprising an earpiece configured to hold the housing within an ear of the patient. 
     
     
         21 . The sensing system according to  claim 20 , wherein the transmission unit comprises a Bluetooth module. 
     
     
         22 . The sensing system according to  claim 17 , wherein the external device is further configured to determine to output at least one of a visible alert and an audible alert to the patient based on whether the output indicates one of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. 
     
     
         23 . A sensing method comprising:
 a wearable unit sensing a temperature of a patient wearing the wearable unit, an oxygen saturation of the patient, a breathing pattern of the patient, a skin conductance of the patient, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern of the patient;   transmitting, from the wearable unit to an external device, the oxygen saturation, the breathing pattern, the skin conductance, and the electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern;   the external device determining whether the output indicates one of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia; and   the external device outputting at least one of a visible alert and an audible alert based on whether the output indicates one of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.   
     
     
         24 . The sensing method according to  claim 23 , wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting via a Bluetooth module. 
     
     
         25 . The sensing method according to  claim 23 , wherein the wearable unit is configured to be attached to a wrist of the patient. 
     
     
         26 . The sensing method according to  claim 23 , wherein the wearable unit is configured to be worn in an ear of the patient.